The most important new feature on iOS 8: Actionable notifications

Apple has officially unveiled iOS 8, and the best new features come in the form of what Apple is calling actionable notifications. These actionable notifications will allow you to respond to messages, reminders and invites without having to leave your app or unlock your phone.

Apple has completely reworked the notification center on iOS 8, adding in many features that Android users have come to expect over the years. When a text notification pops up at the top of your screen, simply swipe down and you’ll have access to your keyboard without having to switch to the Messages app. When an invite appears on your lock screen, swipe left and you’ll have the option to decline or accept.

Third party apps will also be implemented into the new Notification Center. During the demo, a Facebook notification appeared at the top of the screen. Swiping down revealed two options: Comment and Like.

A new scrolling bar of your contacts has also been added to the multitasking screen, allowing you to tap on your recent contacts or your favorites to quickly pull up their contact information.

These are all welcome updates which should make iOS even more usable in the future.